Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto Franchise that belongs solely to Masashi Kishimoto; I do not own Heaven's lost Property, High School DxD or any other Anime I borrow themes from. The only thing I claim is my OC's and original Story Plot.
Author's Note (A/N): Hey guys I'm back once more with another chapter and this one while still in the emotional department has a return to a more lighthearted vibe with a comedic tone levied in it. Naruto prepares for his road trip with Jiraiya to find Tsunade when a few important conversation are brought to the forefront that deepens the relationships between our favorite characters.
Chapter 72
On the Road Again
The normal morning routine in the Uzumaki household was a much more hectic affair than it's ever been in its history as Naruto would soon find out. Waking up the next morning Naruto was greeted to the normal sight of Iris and Chaos snuggled up to his side as he felt his chakra network in a calm and tranquil tone. As usual if Iris or Chaos were far from him he would notice his chakra reserves start to fluctuate and become agitated. Not to mention the psychic link he shares with them would start to weaken. As it stood now after the gut wrenching conversation he had with Iris the previous day Naruto was still holding onto Iris who was practically glued to the side of his body.
Waking up Naruto went through the normal routine of dressing Iris and handling their personal hygiene which had a different vibe to it as Naruto and Iris found it very noticeable that they didn't even want to be even a few feet away from each other. It was to the point that they even teared up and started to get emotional. The father and daughter pair knew that their emotions were going to be at an all time high for the next few days as they spend time together.
After waking up Chaos and going through the hassle of taking care of the energetic Angeloid Naruto was then greeted to the sight of his new children requiring his attention. Ai as it turns out needed to stay constantly hydrated with her aquatic nature playing a heavy part to play in that fact. Giving her an early morning bath proved to be the solution to her problem. The foster children all noticed a drastic change in Naruto's behavior from yesterday and today as the blond haired Genin was far more enthusiastic and vibrant with the children with a more permanent and gentle smile on his face as he engaged more with the children who were more eager and receptive of Naruto's more positive attitude. They didn't know what was bothering him the day before, but they could all tell he wasn't giving it his all yesterday. But much to everyone's joy that version of Naruto was now gone. Giving each child special attention Naruto took the time to appreciate how different each of them were.
For Ai as he would expect was energetic and playful as any young four-year-old would be. She adored him and was quickly coming to remind Naruto of how Iris and Chaos acted not even 3 years prior. The pure innocence that the little mermaid exuded was intoxicating to say the least as the little girl playfully controlled the water in the bath tub with her fledgling abilities. Moving on to Shion Naruto knew he had his work cut out for him in regard to the soft and gentle young boy who was practically scared of the whole world.
As the only other male in the house besides Shion's older brothers Naruto had to give the young boy a bath to make him comfortable in their new setting. The apartment and total sensation of living in a new environment was plaguing Shion's mind which was why Naruto was determined to help the young goat half demon break out of his shell. Underneath his soft and very shy exterior hid a very sharp and intuitive mind that was very intelligent much to Naruto's surprise as Shion grasped the concepts of many subjects Naruto was introducing to him quickly which made Naruto very enthusiastic about the future in raising the young boy.
Moegi was a more interesting girl to deal with as she was deathly quiet. It was hard for Naruto to gauge her own feelings because she was so monotone and expressionless. Even though he knew she was content and happy in her new life deep down Naruto knew that the girl was emotionally damaged from her past and origin. Her trauma and damage ran deep to her soul and it's sapped her of her emotions. It culminated in the fact that Moegi wanted Naruto to give her a bath as well. While he was okay with this fact he also knew that the girl was going to be emotionally dependent and clingy to him. It was going to be a rough road for Naruto to be on with Moegi as the girl was probably the most emotionally stunted of the group. Knowing that she was going to depend on him emotionally was a daunting notion that Naruto knew he was going to have to get used to as time goes on which was something he was looking forward too.
With Roku and Dai, it was the easiest on Naruto as the two boys were very independent and stubborn in their own right as they took care of themselves without Naruto or the others having to do a thing. Having to put up with their sense of humor and jokes was another thing entirely as Naruto found that he had to freeze their mouth at least twice in that one morning. With Asagi being the oldest she required very little help at all with Aria being able to help the much older girl get situated in the home. The only thing Asagi requested of Naruto was for him to help her manage her hair after she witnessed his mastered art of helping Iris and Chaos groom themselves in the morning.
Breakfast was enthusiastic to say the least as Shoko and Anko joined in on the festivities with Naruto preparing the largest meal he's ever had to do in the morning which he quickly came to realize was going to be the new norm for him with six additional mouths to feed on top of the usual seven that Naruto's always had to do. Naruto's better mood lent to the excitement around the room as he introduced the children to the new foods that they would be eating from now on as well as the type of things they should expect. He even informed them of his desire to teach them to unlock their chakra. If they could do that then they would be able to learn the Transformation Jutsu.
While the children expressed their enthusiasm at the prospect of learning techniques just like a ninja Naruto had to deliver to them some bad news. He informed his new children that he had to leave with Jiraiya to search for Tsunade. Of course, this was met with heavy protest from the children who were distraught to know that Naruto would be leaving so soon after they just met him and returned to their new home. Naruto's heart felt a swell of elation to know that the children were that attached to him already and he also felt sadness as he didn't want to leave them either. It was a difficult situation that he had to explain to them as it was very important for the Hidden Leaf to get a new Hokage and fast.
To make up for this unfortunate situation Naruto spent the entire morning into the afternoon with his new children exploring the rest of the apartment complex and all of the unused and abandoned rooms that Naruto never got around to refurbishing. It was fun as Naruto was secretly planning on passing down all of his handyman skills to his new children just like he did with Iris and Chaos.
After spending the morning with his new kids Naruto was pulled off to the side by Shoko who wanted to inform him that Mr. Dino wanted to meet with him. While curious to know what his boss wanted with him Naruto also saw this as an opportunity to speak with his surrogate mother.
"Shoko… I wanted to ask you something that's been on my mind for the last few days." Naruto began as he and Shoko where outside on his balcony while everyone else was still in the apartment. "Oh… and what might that be?" The older woman inquired as Naruto looked unsure of how he wanted to approach the subject he wanted to speak about. Seeing the unease, her surrogate son was exhibiting Shoko hummed a soft tune as she pulled Naruto closer to her while placing her arm around his shoulder.
"Something's bothering you I can tell… it would seem that we've been having a lot of heart to heart talks over the last few months. So… what's bothering you?" Shoko gently prodded as Naruto relaxed in the older woman's embrace. Finding it easier to gather his thoughts while in Shoko's presence Naruto smiled faintly up into the purple eyes of his closest companion. "I'm worried about you Shoko… Ms. Balalaika told me what happened in the forest when you came to get me… even Hinata mentioned it to me yesterday while she was over…" Naruto began as Shoko tensed up ever so slightly.
"I was worried for you… I wanted to find you as soon as possible." Shoko admitted as Naruto took that in and quickly came up with a response of his own. "I think it's more than that Shoko… you've been under a lot of stress ever since the day I met you all those years ago. I think that you're unwell." Naruto said delicately as Shoko rubbed circles into his back soothingly as she looked up into the sky with a haunted look in her eyes. "With you feeling that way… what do you want from me?" It was a difficult situation to tackle as Naruto squirmed a bit in Shoko's arms. "I don't want to offend you Shoko but… I think that you should have someone to talk to about your problems. Like a therapist or something…" Naruto squeamishly stated as he saw a multitude of emotions play out across Shoko's face.
"Are you offering your services?" Shoko joked in a light tone that didn't quite reach her eyes. Pausing a bit with a small chuckle escaping his lips Naruto leaned into the older woman's side. "I'm always willing to lend an ear to you Shoko but I don't think I'm fully qualified for such a thing." Naruto bashfully stated as Shoko nudged his shoulder in response. "You do give out good advice…" The Titan poked as Naruto got a small laugh out of it. "That may be so, but I don't have the advice someone of your experience would need." Naruto downplayed as the mother and son duo calmed down a bit.
"You're not going to let this go, are you?" Shoko probed after a few minutes of silence. "No… I want you to get the help you deserve. You've been through to much and have been treated poorly by the elders in the village. I want you to get better so that you can be truly happy." Naruto pushed as Shoko let out a tired sigh while pulling Naruto closer to her. "How many times do I have to say that I'm happiest with you sweetheart." Shoko teased while trying to deflect away Naruto's thoughts but seeing this the blond-haired boy reached up and gripped Shoko's shoulder tightly to gain her attention.
"I'm serious Shoko… you're not well and you deserve far better than what you've been given. It's ok to admit that you have a problem… I just recently gained some experience in what can happen when you push down your feelings or act out on them to recklessly. You hurt yourself and those that you love. Both physically and emotionally." Naruto admonished as Shoko sighed a much more tired sigh that showed her age. The only difference being she looked 10 years older than what she actually was. "I'm scared…" Shoko whispered as Naruto widened his eyes in surprise a bit before lowering them as he hugged the older woman more to his side. "It's ok to be scared… even someone as awesome as you is allowed to feel scared every once in a while." Naruto soothed as Shoko placed her chin on top of Naruto's head. The sheer difference in height between the very tall woman and Naruto's short height was very noticeable.
"I don't want to admit that I need help. All my life I've tried to be strong. I've lived to be as strong as I am now. I don't have anything else." Shoko admitted with a tiny sob as Naruto rubbed the older woman's back in comforting motions. Naruto sighed once more as he tried to hold back his own tears. He has been through a terrible emotional roller coaster ride for the last week in a half. But he didn't want to break down again so soon after what happened to him yesterday.
"You have me." Naruto said simply which caused Shoko to laugh and cry at the same time in response to such a sweet sentiment. "I've always had you baby boy… since the day you were born." Shoko cooed as she kissed the top of Naruto's head who stiffened at the words she said. 'Since the day I was born?' This was a very ambiguous statement to make but something in Naruto's soul told him to pursue it. "What do you mean since the day I was born… did my parents give me to you Shoko?" Naruto asked as he looked up at the woman who had a haunted look in her eyes. "I… I…" Shoko was caught flat footed as she stared down at Naruto who had an expectant look in his eyes.
"After your parents died on the night the Nine Tails attacked I took you in as my own… but after a year had passed an accident occurred and I… I had to give you up… I couldn't be around anybody and I didn't want to hurt you. I'm so sorry baby." Shoko cried as Naruto numbly took in everything he was told. Shoko adopted him but had to place him in the orphanage? She was a danger to him? Naruto's mind couldn't even process this as he looked up at the woman blankly who nuzzled the side of his face with her own in both love and remorse.
"Why? What happened? Did I do something wrong?" Naruto asked as a tear fell out of his eye without his consent. He promised himself he wasn't going to cry anymore but the very next day he goes back on his word. "No baby… you did nothing wrong. I did it to protect you. I was afraid that you might get hurt from being around me if you stayed. I lost everything left that I had on that day. I already lost your mother and father and even my teammate… and then to have something so horrific happen to me a year later. I couldn't take it." Shoko revealed as Naruto tried his best to understand the daunting revelation given to him.
"What happened? Where we attacked?" Naruto questioned as Shoko shook her head vehemently in denial. "No… we weren't attacked but in order to protect you and those around me I had to do something horrific… after that I lost everything that day." Shoko cried as Naruto nuzzled the older woman back with a worried look in his eyes. "Shoko… what happened?" This time Naruto asked it with a tone of absolute concern in his voice which Shoko shied away from. 'My baby boy died that day…' Shoko bitterly thought in her mind as she was going to reveal more but violently shook those thoughts off as they were far too painful for Shoko to bare. "Please Naruto… don't make me remember it, I don't want to talk about it." Shoko pulled away as tears were streaming down her face which were wiped away tenderly by Naruto who kissed her cheek to calm to older woman down.
"It's okay Shoko… you don't have to tell me if it hurts to much… but just promise me that you'll seek out help for you PTSD. I know you have it and it's taking away from your life." Naruto pleaded as Shoko stared into her surrogate son's eyes for a long while before she silently shook her head in the positive. "Ok… I'll do it… I'll get some help but only after you bring Lady Tsunade back to the village. We need her as the Hokage." Shoko conceded softly as she opened up her heart to the idea of getting therapy. Many people have told her to do so in the past and she would violently shake them off and even a few that were very close to her heart would be declined but hearing it come from Naruto was the final straw that managed to break Shoko of her cycle.
This was what Naruto wanted to hear as a smile broke out onto his face while he turned to Shoko who was smiling faintly back. "You're growing up to be a great man Naruto… you're always taken care of me when I need it the most." Shoko lovingly stated as she once more planted a kiss on Naruto's forehead causing the younger Uzumaki to blush in embarrassment and pride. "Taking care of people is the thing that I know how to do best." Naruto bashfully stated which brought laughter out of Shoko who wiped away the last of her tears. She would give therapy a shot… but only because Naruto was finally able to get through to her.
"You're a caretaker honey… and I want you to never forget that. I'm proud of you and all that you've done these last few weeks. From your victory over Neji in the Chūnin Exams… to the invasion that followed where you protected the entire village from a rampaging Tailed Beast… and most importantly to a showing of your true inner strength by never giving up despite what the Four War Gods threw at you. All the torture… all the hardships. I never got to tell you how proud I was of you for all of those things… I love you Naruto and I always will." Shoko said with the utmost pride and love in her voice as Naruto's heart skipped a pleasant beat in shock and gratitude as he looked up into the loving eyes of the incredible woman who he was proud to think of as a mother.
A genuine heartfelt blush came to Naruto's cheeks as a subconscious smile worked its way onto his face. The love and pride that a parent would feel for their child. It was something Naruto was missing from his life and to know that he had it in the form of Shoko all this time… and to hear her say it in such a way nearly overwhelmed Naruto who started to laugh a heartfelt and joyful laugh from the bottom of his heart which grew to be so infectious that Shoko soon joined in. It took the pair a few minutes but eventually they were able to calm down long enough to speak to each other once again.
"Shoko can you tell me about my mom and dad one day… about how you knew them and how they were as people?" Naruto asked shyly as a pleading subconscious look was hidden behind his eyes at the desperation to know about his parents and to get closer to them for his peace of mind. As an orphan all he's ever wanted to know about was who his parents were and if he was loved by them. With all of the hate and discrimination he's faced in his lifetime he was beginning to think that even his parents didn't love him. If it weren't for Hiruzen telling Naruto that he was loved by them years prior when Naruto had landed himself in the hospital after Kyōra had attacked him he would have eventually succumbed to that conclusion years ago.
A beautiful smile worked its way onto Shoko's face as many memories regarding Minato, Kushina, and Kazehana flooded the Legendary Titan's mind of her youth with her fellow Titans. Those times were sadly behind her, but she remembered her loved one's fondly. "Of course, sweetie… I would be honored to tell you all about them. To know that their memory was being kept alive within you would make them so happy." Shoko graciously accepted as she poked Naruto's chest right were his heart was located. A warm smile greeted Shoko in return as Naruto stood to his feet with Shoko doing the same after he offered her a hand like a gentlemen. "Thank you, mom." Naruto said in the shyest voice Shoko's ever heard from him as her heart skipped a beat while her breath hitched in her throat.
"I love you my son." Shoko sobbed as she pulled Naruto into the strongest hug he's ever received from the emotionally prone woman. Not that he could complain… he's found himself to be growing much more in touch with his inner emotions as of late. His guardian must be rubbing off on him much more than he thought. "I've been getting a lot of love lately… first from the kids… then my teammates… then from Iris last night… then from Hinata, and now finally you." Naruto absentmindedly mumbled in bliss as he tucked himself into Shoko's arms, but he soon brought himself out of his warm thoughts when Shoko stopped moving.
Looking up at his surrogate mother in confusion Naruto saw a sly mischievous grin tearing the purple haired woman's face apart. A nervous chill went down Naruto's spine as Shoko began her assault. "Oh… and what love were you receiving from Hinata huh?" Shoko teased as Naruto's face instantly exploded into a violent blush as he remembered the tender once in a lifetime moment he shared the previous evening with his best friend/ confirmed mutual crush. They both confessed to each other yesterday and shared three kisses between them over the course of the conversation they had. His feelings for Hinata were now stronger than ever and hearing Shoko touch on the subject was enough to make Naruto want to disappear on the spot.
"I…I…I don't know what you're talking about! Nothing happened between us yesterday!" Naruto stuttered out horribly as he unknowingly and unintentionally incriminated himself right on the spot if the widening of Shoko's eyes and her raised eyebrow were any indication. A massive grin came to her face as Naruto realized right then and there that he screwed himself over. "I didn't say anything happened at all yesterday. Now I know something happened! What was it? Did you kiss her!? Did she confess!?" Shoko pushed as Naruto's face invented a new shade of the color red when Shoko unintentionally hit the nail on the head with her inquiries.
Seeing Naruto's visual response to her probing Shoko's face lit up like a Christmas tree as she squealed like any normal female would. Picking Naruto up the physically stronger and not to mention vastly taller woman spun Naruto around in elation as she cheered out victories and congratulations. "Oh my god! You two confessed and even kissed! What happened! How did it happen? When can I expect grandchildren!?" Shoko squealed as Naruto's face nearly exploded off his shoulders at Shoko's last statement.
"SHOKO!" Naruto screamed in embarrassment as the thought of having children with Hinata was a million years away in Naruto's mind. She was his first love, he was just trying to focus on where to go with her from here. They confessed yes… but they didn't officially declare themselves as boyfriend and girlfriend… and they haven't even decided to go on their first date yet. They were very much in the grey area with each other. A comfortable twilight zone where they could decide on which direction they want to bring their relationship.
"What's this I hear about the brat claiming Hinata?" Anko's inquisitive yet teasing voice sounded out as Naruto let out a mortified gasp of horror while turning around to see Anko standing at his balcony door with the widest grin in history. A predatory like gleam was in her eyes as she licked her lips seductively. "Not you too Anko! Nothing happened! Nothing at all!" Naruto wailed as the Special Jōnin sauntered out onto the balcony with a sway in her hips. It didn't help that as usual Anko had on indecent sleeping attire that was subconsciously drawing Naruto's pubescent mind to certain areas on his surrogate older sister's body that he used to stubbornly ignore.
Anko was still very much distraught over the fate of her student Fuki and wasn't sure where she was going to go from here. She knew she was going to need to call in the rest of Team 6 to discuss this topic with Fuki's two teammates. Anko wasn't sure if she wanted to continue teaching the team. Ami and Kasumi were average Genin at best and showed no drive in improving despite the questionable motivational tactics Anko has been known to use over the years. She was considering dropping the team from the shinobi program or assigning the two girls to menial background jobs to suit their level as Fuki was the only one of the group to show any drive or talent needed to be a shinobi. In fact, she was already close to if not Chūnin level and could have easily done well in the final rounds of the Chūnin Exams if she and her team weren't eliminated early in the Forest of Death.
After everything that has happened Anko was strongly considering dropping the two girls which was what she was more than likely going to do after today. It broke her heart to know that her team was a failure from the start with her most prospective student turning out to be a spy for the very group of individuals who kidnapped her surrogate younger brother. It was a devastating blow to Anko's heart and something she would look back on for many years to come.
This bit of excitement was the medicine the torture specialist needed in order to get her over her slight depression. The fact that Naruto and Hinata were now officially an item was far too tempting of a strong bait for Anko to not willingly go after. It was time to embarrass Naruto to the ends of the earth.
Seeing where this horrific conversation was going Naruto broke free of Shoko's embrace in the moment she was distracted by Anko's arrival and in one swift movement he jumped off of the tall balcony while narrowly dodging one of Anko's snakes that attempted to capture his retreating form. "Get back here Naruto! I've got condoms for you to use. Don't leave without them!" Anko screamed out at the top of her lungs purposefully as the entire neighborhood of civilians on the streets below all turned up to the sky in surprise and embarrassment at the crass words they weren't expecting to hear.
Naruto's mortified screams of Anko's name echoed through the afternoon sky as the embarrassed Genin raced across the village to make his way to the Monte Carlo Casino looming in the distance. The fact that he had a meeting with Dino was a blessing in disguise. It was Naruto's saving grace as he knew that he couldn't stay one more second at his own apartment. He would surely die of embarrassment from the combined teasing assault of Shoko and Anko.
Monte Carlo Casino/ Jasmine Dragon Mafia Headquarters
Arriving at the casino was like salvation for Naruto as he quickly raced through the building to reach his boss's office for refuge. He blew past several of his fellow employees and mafia members who blinked at the orange blur that passed them by at lightning speed.
Finally reaching Dino's office Naruto was subjected to a brief teasing session by the old man who was curious about Naruto's flustered state. Constantly having Hinata passing through his mind was not the state he wanted to be in so after getting the King Pin focused and back on track with the reason why he requested Naruto to come to him in the first place the two members of the mafia finally got down to business.
"Naruto my boy I asked you here to inform you of a few things." Dino admitted as his ever-present cup of tea was out as the elderly man offered Naruto a cup. The young boy was no fool though. Dino never offered anyone tea. It was a demand… and for you to refuse it usually came with very grave and drastic consequences. One snobbish and arrogant man who once refused Dino's offer over 5 years ago when Naruto was still new to the mafia turned up two days later dead with his body being found in an alleyway in the seedy parts of the village. It also didn't help that he was in debt to the mafia and his company that he worked for.
With practiced ease Naruto accepted the cup of predictably enough Jasmine Tea that he took a sip of immediately to not incur the wrath of his usually benevolent boss. It was a good thing that after all these years of drinking the delectable drink Naruto's discovered a strong preference to the substance. It was safe to say that Naruto was now a tea person.
Perking up to listen to what he was about to be told Naruto watched as Dino pulled out a small pamphlet of papers that he slid across his desk for him to take. Looking them over Naruto only discovered one word that he was vaguely familiar with. "What is this sir?" Naruto was curious to know what this was about as Dino had an unusually serious expression on his face. "This my young boy is about a problem the country has been having… but one that is now a problem since the death of Hiruzen." Dino began as Naruto sat up straight in his chair once Dino mentioned Hiruzen.
"As you know Naruto we regulate the flow of drugs and other contraband into the Land of Fire. The other countries smuggle in these undesirable substances into our borders and we control its flow to the best of our abilities. The most common yet most dangerous substance is called spice." Dino instructed as Naruto turned to the first page with the information of it written neatly on it. "Spice is a common ore that can be mined into a mineral for many different uses in the world. Some of it can even be used in medicine. But unfortunately for the most part spice is turned into illegal drugs that causes addiction in its users." Dino spoke as Naruto corroborated that statement by reading the definitions and explanations on the page in his hand.
"The most common form of Spice in the world is called Sansanna Spice. It is weak but very popular and affordable for people to sell. Sansanna is a mineral used in many of our everyday lives such as metals and furniture. It is as common as anything else. But in its raw form it is refined down into a powder that when put into the body causes a high that gets the victim addicted after a while of prolonged use." Dino explained as Naruto had a concerned expression on his face as he read through some of the more uncommon and rarer variations of spice that have been confirmed to have been turned into illicit drugs.
"This is awful. The effects that this stuff has on the body. It can kill people." Naruto mumbled in disbelief as some of the variations that he was reading through had a high mortality rate with in even higher potency in the addiction and high that the victim would receive. Shaking his head sadly Dino took a sip of his tea. "I know Naruto… I've done everything that I can over the years to keep these things out of the Hidden Leaf and Land of Fire as a whole. Sadly, these things have slipped through over the years… the matrons that worked at the orphanage when you were still there… the ones that hurt you were confirmed to be on these drugs when brought into custody by Hiruzen." Dino revealed as Naruto's breath hitched in his throat.
He looked up to see the sad visage of his boss looking back at him. It was one of understanding and sorrow. "The prejudice and ignorance that they had for you in combination with their grief for the losses that they sustained during the Nine Tails Attack on the village was amplified to dangerous levels as they continued to abuse the use of these substances. It's no excuse for the trauma and abuse that you endured but that is what happened. I'm sorry I've kept this from you my boy, but I thought now was the appropriate time to tell you this in accordance with the problem we are now having." Dino apologized as Naruto took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He's done enough crying for the last few days to last a lifetime. He didn't want to break down once again.
"Thank you, sir. I… that's hard for me to take in but if this stuff is as bad as you say it is what is the problem now?" Naruto said in a mature tone as he pushed away the animosity he felt for those disgusting social workers who ruined his early childhood and traumatized him for years to come. Smiling at the mental fortitude and maturity his young charge was displaying Dino pressed forward as he got to the heart of the problem.
"Spice is a substance that can be found in a few locations around the world with the number one location being an island called Vanqor Island out in a far distant island chained called the Rishi Archipelago. Vanqor Island is a massive island and it has hundreds of spice mines scattered about the surface of the land. With the death of Hiruzen, many crime organizations now feel that they have free reign to move into territory that is publicly controlled and patrolled by shinobi from the Hidden Leaf. With the village in a very weakened state it can't focus on the small menial tasks that it usually could." Dino explained with Naruto quickly coming to understand the new problem arising.
At its height of power on any given day the Hidden Leaf could project its power in the public eye to many big and small villages around the Land of Fire with the presence of leaf shinobi deterring illegal crime syndicates from operating more boldly in broad daylight without fear of retribution. With the village focusing more on shoring up their defenses and repairing the damage done in the invasion the shinobi weren't focused on micromanaging normal everyday things that their mere presence would automatically deter. They were more militarily focused and in a defensive mode.
"I see you understand the problem now. The mafia is spread thin as it is helping in the reconstruction of the village and generating revenue for this task. We are also stretched thin in the capacity of weeding out spies trying to get into the village since the invasion. Our defensive screen is paper thin as I've had to recall some of our agents from other countries not performing high profile missions to aid in this task. I need you to head to a few hotspots that have cropped up over the course of the last week. These are mainly small fry who are far too inexperienced to realize that they are sticking out like sore thumbs. I want you to show them the hospitality of the Jasmine Dragon Mafia." Dino instructed as Naruto smiled a more cruel and mischievous smile in retribution.
He understood what was needed of him. As one of the very few active duty shinobi in the roster it left Naruto in the unique and advantageous position of being able to travel around the country and world and act in the official unsuspecting capacity as a shinobi while secretly operating as a Mafia Agent whose only task is to deal in the deep and dangerous realm of the criminal underworld.
"I understand sir… while I'm out there with the pervy sage I'll keep my eyes out for this stuff. Depending on how long our search takes, I might be able to get to these towns and if not, I'll ask the next Hokage to send me to these towns on simple C – Rank missions as cover." Naruto informed as the elderly man smiled happily at Naruto's thoroughness and forethought. "Good… and if it comes to that I'll persuade the new Hokage and inform them of your special circumstances. Thank you for your diligence my boy. That is all that I needed from you." Dino thanked as Naruto bowed his head in respect to his boss. It was always nice to speak with the kind and benevolent old man. To Naruto… he had a lot in common with Hiruzen. It was a main reason why he got a long with him so well.
"Sir… before I go I had a small favor to ask of you." Naruto asked as Dino raised his eyebrow in interest to Naruto's request. It wasn't often that the boy asked him of anything but when he did interesting things tended to happen. The last favor Naruto asked of him was a week and a half ago and that led to loads of entertainment on Dino's end when Naruto showed up to the Chūnin Exams to face Neji while revealing his status as a mafia agent.
After getting the go ahead from his boss to continue Naruto spoke up. "Sir can my new children stay here at the casino with you while I'm away. I know Shoko will be staying in the village for the time being to help with the security against any of the other countries, but she'll also have her hands full here at the casino." Naruto requested as Dino hummed in thought. "I don't see why not my boy. Truthfully while your away I don't think it would be safe for them to be by themselves either. As half demons they are a commodity that certain interest groups in the village would love to have under their control. With them under my roof they'll be safe, and Shoko and I can keep any eye on them constantly." Dino explained as Naruto's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"The elders… are you concerned about that Danzō guy?" Naruto questioned as a dangerous and keen look came to Dino's eyes as he placed his cup of tea down. "Yes… Danzō Shimura was Hiruzen's old rival and is a shinobi who has sought the title of Hokage for decades. He is one of the most dangerous and cunning shinobi in history and he's not to be underestimated for even a second. His power his undeniable and is one of the few shinobi in the village who could challenge Hiruzen when he was still alive. He runs his own private paramilitary faction of the ANBU Black Ops called ROOT. His agents are ruthless and deadly. I think it would be for the best if I look after your children until you return." Dino explained as Naruto was baffled at what his boss had to say. Was it even allowed for someone of Danzō's status to have his own private faction to himself.
"Did grandpa Hokage know about ROOT? How can a splinter faction even be allowed to exist in the village when it's government is a dictatorship by the Hokage?" Naruto questioned in disbelief as Danzō's actions screamed insubordination and disloyalty in Naruto's eyes. Danzō clearly had his own agenda in mind if he was allowed to operate his own personal faction within the village without repercussion. "Sadly yes… it was a decision I wasn't happy about but Hiruzen allowed the creation of ROOT to handle clandestine operations that the Hidden Leaf couldn't publicly be linked back to. But we've both held our strong belief and suspicions that Danzō has done some immoral things in the past. Unfortunately, he is a very crafty and slippery man. Nothing he has done has ever been traced back to him." Dino grumbled irritably as he slammed his cup of tea on the desk.
With this warning in place Naruto's caution for Danzō was raised through the roof as he promised himself to keep an eye out for the elder who with the information he just received proved to be more dangerous than Homura and Koharu combined. He was a dangerous force that Naruto was going to have to keep an eye out for in the future. He wasn't safe, and his family was most definitely not safe in the least. Shoko and Dino would definitely need to look after the kids in his absence.
Leaving the casino Naruto decided to make a long-awaited stop as he showed up at the Sarutobi Clan Compound where he was greeted by Asuma. Meeting Konohamaru after all this time warmed Naruto's heart as he comforted the boy who was hurting the most at losing his grandfather. Naruto stayed for well over two hours as he gave the young boy and the rest of the members of the Sarutobi Clan peace of mind about the passing of their patriarch and Hokage. After cheering the young boy up to the best of his abilities Naruto left with the promise to bring Iris and Chaos over which Naruto agreed to as he also informed Konohamaru he would be out of the village for a few days to possibly another week in search of the next Hokage which predictably didn't go over well with the young boy considering the special circumstances. After spending additional time reassuring the rowdy boy Naruto left with a weight lifted off of his heart. This was the first step he would need to take in order to slowly move on from the deep hole the Third Hokage's death left in his heart.
Hidden Leaf Village/ Main Gate
It was early in the morning and Naruto was fully prepared for his extended search trip with Jiraiya. After saying his goodbyes to his foster children and promising to bring them back a souvenir Naruto left with Iris and Chaos latching onto his limbs like usual. With Shoko, Anko, and Aria all promising to look after the group of children while he was gone Naruto felt confident and reassured of their safety as he raced to the Main Gate for his scheduled time with the Toad Sage. Arriving five minutes before the actual meet up time Naruto greeted Izumo and Kotetsu as he usually would while waiting for the Toad Sage to show up. Iris and Chaos quickly busied themselves by playing with the two Chūnin who weren't really used to the two supernatural children like those close to Naruto would be. Chaos creating ghostly apparitions with her illusion abilities to scare the two gate guards was the highlight of her morning.
After the five minutes passed Naruto looked down the main street that leads into the village to see Jiraiya's hulking frame moving through the crowd of civilians with his tall stature eclipsing everyone around him. It was easy for Naruto to notice the man and with him now within visual range the blond haired Uzumaki relaxed his posture and closed his eyes in contentment. Eva as usual was asleep since it was early in the morning and the duo were no longer early risers like they used to be when they were younger and hand to go out for their early morning vandalism runs just to get food and supplies to survive the day.
Sensing multiple presences approaching him Naruto opened his eyes in confusion only to widen them in surprise which then turned to a light blush when it was revealed that Jiraiya wasn't alone. Lord Hiashi Hyūga was with the Legendary Sannin and accompanying the powerful clan head was his two daughters Hinata Hyūga and her baby sister Hanabi Hyūga. Along with them was Shikaku Nara the Jōnin Commander and Shoko who showed up for one last send off. The children were already moved to the casino for the day, so Naruto wasn't worried about them being left alone or unprotected.
"Hinata? What are you doing here?" Naruto questioned with a light tint of pink on his cheeks which was matched by Hinata who smiled shyly at her best friend. "Hinata will be joining us on our trip Naruto." Jiraiya explained as Naruto blinked in surprise while turning to Hinata for confirmation who shook her head yes. Naruto was highly confused by this turn of events as he wasn't expecting Jiraiya to request this at all. Something was up that was for sure. "Not… that I would mind Hinata coming along… by why bring her pervy sage?" Naruto delicately questioned as the bashful blush on his face increased a bit when Hinata snuck a peak at her father and the patriarch of the Hyūga Clan was glaring a whole into Naruto's forehead.
"Pervy Sage?" Hiashi inquired as the Hyūga turned to the Legendary Sannin who blushed in embarrassment. Turning a righteous glare of indignation towards Naruto the elite shinobi pointed a dramatic finger at his young apprentice while yelling his outrage. "How many times do I have to tell you boy! Do not call me that ridiculous nickname!" Jiraiya yelled as he got in Naruto's face who had an annoyed twitch in his right eye. "And how many times do I have to tell you that you're nothing but a good for nothing pervert! The name suits you." Naruto growled as Chaos's snickering could be heard behind him with Iris's face cracking a smile at the Toad Sage's plight.
"You disrespectful child! If you're going to call me a pervert, then at the very least call me a Super Pervert!" Jiraiya insisted without a single iota of shame in his voice as Hinata had a shocked look on her face while Shoko turned her head away in embarrassment and mortification. This was the man she affectionately thought of as a father figure. She was embarrassed to know she looked up to the powerful shinobi as a little girl.
Hiashi's face was especially blank as he looked to the older man making a fool of himself. Chaos fell to her knees in laughter while Iris placed both her hands over her face in disbelief. This was too much for the more gullible girl to handle. "You have no dignity, do you?!" Naruto yelled as a warm feeling enveloped his heart as he and Jiraiya got into another one of their arguments. It was a novel experience that Naruto didn't fully understand at first but after all of the emotional revelations he was experiencing from the last week he came to the understanding that it was love that he felt for the perverted old man. The familial love that comes with spending time with the ones you care about. It was how he felt about Anko, Shoko, and Aria.
After calming down from another one of their verbal spats Naruto became more cordial enough to listen to what Jiraiya had to say. "As I was saying earlier… Hinata will be joining us. There are still things we don't understand about her new Byakugan as she's pointed out to her father that she's having sensitivity issues with her eyes." Jiraiya explained as Naruto looked over at Hinata in surprise and concern. "Hinata… you didn't tell me this yesterday. Can you use your Byakugan?" Naruto asked as he started to dote on Hinata who was blushing up a storm especially since Hiashi was staring down at Naruto with his patented stoic glare in place.
"I didn't want to worry you… especially since you had problems of your own. Everytime I turn on my Byakugan my vision narrows in on you and Iris. My vision is also much more sensitive both with it on and when I'm not using my Byakugan." Hinata revealed as Naruto's eyes soften in worry. Placing his hand on her shoulder Naruto channeled a miniscule amount of Iris's holy grace into Hinata's body and almost immediately the girls Byakugan came on automatically as the normal lavender tint to them changed over to a golden hue with a faint flower shaped pattern around a now visible pupil. 'Wait a minute… what the heck was that?' Naruto questioned as he felt something within Hinata's body react to the surge of holy aura enveloping her. It was like a heartbeat or a pulse, but as soon as it came it left leaving Naruto in a state of confusion. With no way to know about what he just experienced Naruto decided to put those thoughts to the side and instead focus in on Hinata's immediate reaction to his test.
This phenomenon confirmed it for Naruto as a light blush formed on Hinata's face as he watched her eyes first stare at him before veering off to focus on Iris who was standing a few feet away. Naruto frowned as he understood what was going on. "You have a sensitivity disorder to Holy Aura." Naruto informed as Iris frowned ever so slightly in shame as she also realized what was going on. Hiashi perked up in both alarm and curiosity to this statement as he stepped forward to tower above Naruto who now noticed just how close the father was.
"What does that mean young man? Is this a health-related issue for my daughter?" Hiashi questioned with a stern and no-nonsense tone. Gulping in nervousness Naruto cleared his thoughts to answer the concerned father in a clear and concise manner. "No sir… not necessarily. Holy Aura is a powerful energy type that is far more potent than most. For a human to have it inside of their body, they have to undergo years of training to avoid being overwhelmed by the sheer potency of it. Whenever Hinata activates her Byakugan now she will naturally seek out the closest source of holy aura. It's almost like an addiction." Naruto explained as he silently made a correlation between what was happening to Hinata now and the conversation he had with Dino the previous day.
'It really is like an addiction. Her body is predisposed to seeking out sources of Holy Grace. The potency of Lady Sōkyoku's power is too much for Hinata to handle as a human. There's a reason why I don't use her energy much for other than healing. It's really hard for me to focus when her grace is flowing through me… not to mention it burns and pushes against the Yōki in my body.' Naruto noted to himself as he realized he would have to ween Hinata off of her tunnel vision towards Iris and by proxy him.
She didn't have this problem for very long but Lady Sōkyoku's power wasn't like normal grace. Hinata was going to need his help if she were to function normally from now on. She would need training to control the surprisingly substantial amount of grace that was now collecting into a reserve inside of her body. Now Hinata was just like Naruto with having a mixture of Chakra, Yōki, and Grace inside of her body. She would need to be trained to get comfortable with this new change in her life.
"Will this be an issue? Is there a way to correct this?" Hiashi pressed as Naruto had a faster response to this question. "Yes, Lord Hiashi… Iris and I will have to train with Hinata to help wean her off of the tunnel vision effect that comes with using her Byakugan. Even when it's not on I can already tell Hinata can still detect the presence of Holy Aura. It will affect the way she functions in her everyday life and in her shinobi career… but I know that we can fix it." Naruto said encouragingly as his hand subconsciously reached out to grab Hinata's who while blushing didn't let go of the contact which was something that the adults took keen notice of… especially Hiashi.
"Is there a way that I would be capable of rectifying this situation on my own with Hinata staying with me?" Hiashi probed with a certain slight in his tone as he eyed the hand holding his daughter's with an unreadable expression on his face. Shoko could be seen in the background clamping a hand over her mouth to stop the giggles that wanted to come out. She knew what Hiashi was secretly driving at and the playful woman couldn't help but find the whole situation amusing.
Not picking up on the tense atmosphere between him and Hiashi and also not being aware of the fact that he was now holding Hinata's hand Naruto continued with the answer to Hiashi's inquiry. "No sir… unless you have a source of Holy Grace around and in particular one that is as powerful as my daughter then it wouldn't work. Hinata is being drawn to Iris and unless she can break away from that habit then it would be impossible for her to do so with any normal version of this energy either." Naruto answered truthfully as Jiraiya coughed into his mouth with a mischievous grin plastered onto his face.
"She's being drawn to much more than just Iris…" The Toad Sage joked as Shoko nearly let loose with her laughter right then and their as she had to turn around to face away from the group to regain her composure. Perking up at this comment Naruto looked to the elite shinobi in confusion as the joke narrowly went over his head. Turning back to Hiashi was a big mistake on Naruto's part as the glare the father was directing at him was enough to melt him on the spot. "And does this so-called training involve you holding my daughter's hand for so long boy?" Hiashi growled as a shimmering aura of his killing intent was being directed at Naruto who only now realized the full weight of the situation he was in.
Whipping his neck to the side Naruto took in the fact he was holding Hinata's hand with their fingers interlaced. He didn't even know when that had happened at all and now seeing the look of anger in Hiashi's face sent a shiver of absolute dread up Naruto's spine. The look in the man's eyes reminded Naruto of his attitude towards Inari when he was getting too close to Iris back in the Land of Waves. But Naruto's anger and Hiashi's anger were on two different levels entirely as Naruto gulped nervously while quickly albeit reluctantly taking his hand out of Hinata's which was a hesitance that Hiashi's naturally sharp eyes picked up on.
The blush on Hinata's face right now could be categorized in its own section while Naruto who had a modest blush of teenage embarrassment was feeling a lot more dread then anything at all. "I'm sorry sir! I don't know how that happened at all!" Naruto apologized as the heated glare bearing down on him didn't subside in the least. "I suppose the kiss you two shared the other day was an accident as well huh?" Hiashi mercilessly probed as Naruto's entire skin turned ghost white while Hinata herself passed out right there and then. Falling backwards on the spot Hinata was going to hit the ground but on instinct alone Naruto caught her with his hands encircling around her waist to steady the girl to his side.
"Boy kid… you just can't keep your hands off of her." Jiraiya flippantly commented in the background while adding fuel to the fire. The vindictive grin on his face was proof enough that this was payback from the earlier argument that he shared with Naruto. Shoko herself gave up on trying to contain her laughter as the older woman was leaning against the guard booth for Izumo and Kotetsu while Chaos was on the ground laughing to the point of hysteria. The amount of energy she was collecting from her father was enough to feed her for over a month at this point.
"Did you think I wouldn't have found out?" Hiashi questioned with a raised eyebrow as Naruto shook on the spot from pure terror. "She came home that day with the same expression on her face that she always has when she's thinking about you but the only difference being she was absent minded that day. It was the worst I've ever seen her. A quick questioning of her was all it took for me to get the truth out." Hiashi revealed as Naruto's already ghost white skin practically turned transparent with the mental state he was in right now.
"I should kill you where you stand boy for defiling my daughter." Hiashi threatened as he raised his palm and a visible aura of chakra was circulating around it with such potency that Naruto could feel the power washing against his face from feet away. It didn't take long for Naruto to be on his hands and knees bowing repeatedly before the angry father with a thousand apologies flying out of his mouth while his family laughed at him in the background.
Hiashi kept up his oppressive killing intent for a few more moments afterwards before easing up on it. "Get up Uzumaki… as of this moment I consider you to be courting my daughter. Do not grovel in the middle of the street like a peasant… even if it is to me." Hiashi commanded as Naruto slowly rose to his feet with fear etched into his eyes. "You have a lot of guts boy… when you return from your trip with Lord Jiraiya not only do I expect for Hinata to have made some form of progress on her new issue, but we will be having a very… very long conversation. Do I make myself clear boy?" Hiashi instructed with the deadliest glare Naruto's every seen in his lifetime.
Naruto's voice cracked as he squeaked out the most submissive reply ever. "Yes sir…!" He didn't even need to look over Hiashi's shoulder to see that Chaos had long since passed out in the middle of the road as she ran into an overload on Naruto's energy. The poor girl was out like a light and Naruto felt Chaos's subconscious fade from his mind a few moments prior. It made matters worse when Hinata came to in Naruto's arms while subconsciously snuggling up into his familiar presence which while internally pleasant to Naruto was in reality not what he really needed right now as the glare from Hiashi returned in full force.
"Hinata… I want you to bring this boy over in the next few weeks after you return from this trip. We have much we need to discuss. I want you to be on your best behavior with him while gone. Is that clear?" Hiashi commanded in his stern tone which immediately made Hinata jump out of Naruto's arms with a squeak. "Yes father!"
With both children sufficiently scared beyond the point of death Hiashi leveled one last concrete melting glare at Naruto who shrunk away from it meekly before turning around to leave with Hanabi waving to them shyly. "Take care of my daughter while your gone Uzumaki or you won't live to see your next birthday." Hiashi parted with a final threat as the powerful clan head left the group in a fit of fear and hysteria.
"Oh, this is going to be fun." Jiraiya joked with peels of laughter escaping his mouth. "I hate you… you know that right." Naruto attempted to say to his master but any anger or intimidation in his voice was lost due to the fact Naruto's entire body was still slightly shaking in fear of Hinata's father. Naruto's voice cracked, and his skin was still deathly white which caused Jiraiya to laugh harder in hysteria.
"Come along kids… this is going to be one fun trip." Jiraiya coaxed with Iris having to pick her twin sister's limp body off the ground since Chaos was now unconscious. This wasn't going to be a fun trip in Iris's opinion since Chaos's mechanical body was extremely heavy when she was unconscious. Shikaku shook his head in exasperation at the drama unfolding around him as he placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "I was going to tell you of how important this mission is and drone on about responsibilities and all, but I change my mind. I've only got some words of wisdom for you kid." The father of Shikamaru said as Naruto peered up at his commanding officer in curiosity. "Women are troublesome kid… but the fathers of woman are ten times worse. Always remember that." Shikaku said in a bored and exasperated tone as he patted Naruto's shoulder in support.
With that the Jōnin Commander exchanged some words with both Jiraiya and Shoko before disappearing in a blur to resume his duties. He was working 24 hour shifts to ensure that the forces of the Hidden Leaf were at peak efficiency during the absence of an acting Hokage. The village was still vulnerable despite the calm atmosphere being projected by the citizens who were busying themselves with repairing the buildings and areas destroyed during the attack to distract themselves from the 200 plus deaths that accumulated during the invasion. A new Hokage was needed to uplift the spirits of the village and to show the world that the Hidden Leaf was not weakened by this unprovoked attack.
"Do your best Naruto and bring my sensei back okay." Shoko encouraged after she managed to calm down her fits of laughter. A warm smile was in place as she kissed Naruto on the forehead for the final time with Naruto returning the gesture with a hug. "I will Shoko… I'll bring Lady Tsunade back." Naruto smiled as Eva lent her own words of encouragement to the Legendary Titan. Happy at the response she was given Shoko ruffled Naruto's blond hair much to Eva's annoyance who pouted at the older woman's actions. Naruto's hair was her territory and abode. She hated whenever it was messed with.
"I hope you and Hinata will behave yourself while away. Keep your physical contact with each other down to a minimum. Hand holding is fine but you're too young to be kissing indiscriminately all the time." Shoko teased with a mischievous smile on her face as Naruto started to pull his hair out in mortification. "SHOKO STOP! I don't need to hear this!" Naruto screamed in embarrassment as he ran out of the gates with Shoko's laughter echoing behind him. Giving a hug to his daughter figure Jiraiya relayed his parting words to Shoko as well before he walked out of the village after Naruto while Hinata shyly waved to Shoko who winked at her in a teasing manner causing Hinata to squeak and speed walk out of the village gates.
After an hour of walking the atmosphere in the group returned to normal with Jiraiya in lecture mode instructing Naruto, Hinata, and Eva on the many gambling towns in the Land of Fire and the frequent places Tsunade liked to frequent. He was giving his charges a complete breakdown on Tsunade's personality to help the Genin get acquainted with the person they were going to be looking for. While this information was important and admittedly very interesting to Naruto, deep down he still had priorities and questions of his own.
"Pervy Sage… was Hinata's condition the only reason why you asked her to come along?" Naruto inquired as Jiraiya looked down to his student who asked the question. A contemplative look came over his eyes as he retreated into his inner thoughts. 'It's more than you think Naruto. Not only because of Hinata's current condition but because of what that has awakened inside of her. What you don't know is that I'm not only responsible for you Naruto, but Hinata as well. It's a favor to both your parents as your godparent.' Jiraiya thought to himself as he gathered his thoughts to answer the question posed to him as he could see Naruto and Hinata both giving him curious and expecting looks while Iris's eyes appeared to be tinted green while looking at him. 'Her true self knows about this… why am I not surprised about that.' Jiraiya noted as he opened his mouth to answer.
"Not necessarily… for one Hinata's Byakugan will be a huge benefit for us to use in tracking Tsunade. While she isn't a spy that woman has the uncanny ability to disappear off the face of the earth when she is ready. She is one of the hardest shinobi to track in the entire world and having a Hyūga with us will be a benefit." Jiraiya explained as that gave a clue to some of Tsunade's tendencies and skills. "And another reason…?" Naruto pushed as Jiraiya paused a bit in his thinking.
"You'll find out soon enough about that Naruto… but for now the both of you could use some training. If this girl here is on Balalaika's radar, then every bit of training would be appreciated." Jiraiya deflected as he gave out another valid excuse that wasn't truly a lie as Balalaika was intent on taking Hinata out in the future. It would be beneficial for the girl to receive further training to prepare her for the future. 'Another reason is that the Akatsuki are once more on the move. Itachi informed me that he and his partner will be stopping by the village. He wants to make sure Danzō is behaving himself now that sensei is dead. The more mobile I keep you Naruto, the safer you'll be in the long run until I can make you strong enough to fight off that group.' Jiraiya privately thought as he looked up to the sky in deep thought.
Both Naruto and Hinata shared a quick look between them as it was obvious Jiraiya wasn't telling them everything. 'What are you hiding Pervy Sage? Why do you have such a look on your face?' Naruto silently thought to himself with a small pang of concern in his heart. Jiraiya looked secretly stressed out and concerned about the weight of the world. He could tell that a lot of the old man's worries were directed at both him and Hinata which was all the more reason for Naruto to be concerned as he didn't want anything bad to happened to either him or Hinata. Especially after all of the chaos he's had to endure for these last few weeks.
Reaching out his hand once again subconsciously, Naruto latched onto Hinata's hand as he let his inner concerns and cautions guide him and his heart. Whatever was bothering Jiraiya had to be big to worry the Legendary Sannin. If his kidnapping proved anything to Naruto then it was that despite the underdog victory he managed to pull out against Kyōra and the Four War Gods, the bottom line was he still was nowhere near strong enough to truly protect himself and those that he cared about from the dangers of the world that were after him. He needed to get a lot stronger in the future not just for his sake but more importantly for his family and friends who would inevitably be dragged into his battles.
Blushing at the contact that was starting to become very familiar to her Hinata squeezed Naruto's hand reassuringly with a tender smile on her face the silently spoke to the encouragement she was sending him. Smiling back Naruto fumbled around in his pocket to pick out a small hand-written note that was given to him by Dino after their meeting yesterday. Reading it over Naruto sighed as it was a small check list of a group of towns that were starting to become hotspots for underworld criminal activities. With the mafia spread thin and the Hidden Leaf focusing more on the more political and militaristic ramifications of the Hokage's passing and the invasion that they managed to repel the underworld of crime was scrambling to take claim to any investments and territory that they could before the status quo could be reestablished.
It was up to Naruto and those in his position to help quell this presence of crime starting to encroach from the shadows of the underworld. To know that those responsible for such traumatizing events in his childhood were under the influence of drugs and such illicit substances caused a boiling white-hot rage to simmer in the bottom of Naruto's heart. The tragedies that they had to endure were unfortunate, but it didn't give them the right to turn to such an outlet to wash away their pain. Especially if those things led them to eventually commit unspeakable crimes that makes them far worse than the so-called monster that they were trying to get rid of. With a resolve in his heart and looking at the very familiar first name on the list he was given Naruto turned to his master with a newfound purpose.
"Pervy Sage…" Naruto called out calmly as Jiraiya turned to look at his student with a curious look. "Can we begin our search in a place called Firebend Town. I've got some business there?"
To be continued...
[The Search for Tsunade Arc]
Spice - A very common ore in the Naruto world. This ore can be refined into a mineral for use in many different materials in life. Spice can even be refined and mixed into medicine that is used in hospitals all across the world. In its raw form the spice can be mined down into a powder that when introduced into the human body can cause a high that produces hallucinogenic effects. Prolonged use of the spice can cause addictions in the user who will be compelled to find more of it when withdrawal symptoms kick in.
Spice ore can only be found in arid and rocky areas in remote mineral rich locations that have no human civilisations near them. A few remote locations in the Land of Earth, Land of Lightning, and Land of Iron. With the fact the Land of Lightning has a lot of waterways in its borders the soil and ground gives birth to a few pockets of mineral rich areas where spice can be found. The Land of Iron has the highest concentration of spice ore on the Elemental Nations Continent as the country was given the name due to the extremely high mineral rich ground from the many volcanoes and mountains that populate the land. The Land of Earth has the least amount of Spice Ore in it due to the infertility of the land there.
The largest deposit of Spice Ore in the world is from a placed called Vanqor Island that resides out in an island chain called the Rishi Archipelago which is located north of the Land of Water. Vanqor Island is inhabitable and home to hundreds of spice mines where many different kinds of spices can be found.
Sansanna Spice - The most common spice in the world that is mixed into the most common materials of the world such as metals, furniture, safe foods, organic materials, and inorganic materials. The illicit drug version of this spice is the weakest in terms of potency for the user to ingest into their bodies but it is also the most affordable to by on the blackmarket.
Author's Note (A/N): Now how was that? Once more Naruto and Shoko have a heart to heart conversation that has Naruto giving the Titan an intervention where he encourages her to seek professional help for her PTSD. This heavy conversation gives way to a secret part of the past where it is revealed that Shoko originally adopted Naruto after the death of Minato and Kushina. However, after a incident a year afterwards Shoko is forced on her own volition to give Naruto up and place him in the foster care system. After convincing Shoko to seek help the conversation devolves into a teasing session as Shoko and Anko discovers the new status of Naruto's and Hinata's relationship.
Dino and Naruto hold a more serious conversation discussing the state of the Land of Fire's criminal underworld after the death of Hiruzen and the political state of the Hidden Leaf. Dino introduces Naruto to a substance called Spice that is a universal mineral used in the everyday lives of the people of their world. The only difference is that in its raw form after being turned into a power is considered an illicit drug that causes addiction in its users. This substance is on the rise in a more out of control manner with the very recent death of Hiruzen as petty criminals and organized crime families scramble to make their moves and business before the Hidden Leaf can restabilize itself. Learning how dangerous this substance can be and learning a dark secret about the matrons who raised him in the orphanage Naruto gains a new resolve to help his boss suppress this recent activity in crime. Naruto is also given a warning by Dino to be wary and cautious around Danzō who is a legitimate danger to both him and his family.
Finally we see that an extra person will be tagging along with Naruto and Jiraiya in their search for Tsunade and it is Hinata. As it turns out Hinata is having some sensitivity issues regarding her vision both with her Byakugan on and off. Iris's potent dosage of Holy Aura into her body that has upgraded her Byakugan has had the unintended side effect of making Hinata distracted and addicted in a manner of speaking to searching out the sources of nearby pockets of holy aura. This side effect has affected the way Hinata functions and as such it is something that needs to be addressed. This intervention on Iris's part has also awakened something within Hinata as Jiraiya puts it. What could it possibly be? Hiashi has his overprotective fatherly moment as he scares both children with Naruto in particular to within an inch of their lives as he reveals his knowledge about Naruto's and Hinata's recent actions and new status.
The chapter ends with Naruto resolving to help the Mafia deal with the rise of crime in the country alongside helping Jiraiya search for his old teammate Tsunade to bring her back to be the Fifth Hokage.
Next Chapter: Chapter 73 (The Suppression of Crime)
That's the end of Chapter 72 I sincerely hoped you enjoyed it.
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Published: 9/20/2018
